Pippa's Return
by Faiika
Summary: It was a long time since Jack died before Pippa decides to drown herself so that she could join him in death. But an old woman named Hattie stops her with the promise to help her find her long lost brother. How will Hattie keep her promise? And who is this mysterious Hattie, anyway?
1. the Contract

Pippa shuffled through the cold forest, her eyes watching her feet. Snow blanketed the ground and covered the trees, and she was shivering uncontrollably. She wore her black boots and a plain, patched brown dress, and her shawl was wrapped tightly around her. It was a full moon that hung high in the thick black sky. She felt comforted with it there. It was like having a friend, and she'd talked to it often, imagining what it would say back. Of course, it never spoke, but that was expected. It was not capable of speaking. It was, after all, the moon. Still, it made her feel encouraged and less afraid when it was there. At last she came upon Melody Pond. It was a gorgeous place, surrounded by trees, and looked beautiful in all seasons. In the winter, the ice that covered it was pleasant and decorated in frosty pictures, while in the summer it was the perfect place for a swim. The name, Melody Pond, used to remind her of fairy tales of mermaids, with their magnificent blue-green tails, their silky hair, and their enchanting voices. But Pippa no longer saw its beauty and splendor. Not for four years, a month, and seventeen days.

Exactly four years, one month, and seventeen days ago, her older brother had drowned in Melody Pond. Jack had been teaching her to ice-skate when the ice began to crack. He had just tossed her to safety when he fell in, and she never saw the place as "gorgeous" ever again.

The loss of Jack had taken Mother's life, due to a severe and deadly depression that led to a horrible fever. When she died, Father had turned to alcohol for comfort. The family disgraced and torn, Pippa was left to deal with the weight of the world on her thin shoulders.

This was why she had come to Melody Pond for the first time in four years, a month, and sixteen days. To give up, to see her brother again, even if it meant drowning herself. She took off her shawl and slipped her bare toes out of her boots, preparing to dive in the icy water that had removed Jack from her family.

"There's no need for that."

Pippa whipped around.

An old woman, with long, wild, silver curls, was leaning against the trunk of a tree a couple of feet behind Pippa. Her scrawny, pale arms were folded across her chest. She had a hooked nose, mossy teeth, thin, tight lips, and skin that seemed too big for her. She wore a floor length black cloak, a dark green velvet dress, and striking neon-purple pointed shoes. She had a wart between her nose and right cheek, and a ruby pendant on her long, fragile neck.

"Who are you?" Pippa demanded.

"My name is Hattie," the old woman said in a surprisingly strong voice. She straightened and gestured to the pond. "Killing yourself won't help you in this situation."

"Mind your own business," Pippa spat venomously, then turned back to the pond.

"Jack's not dead, sweetie."

Pippa froze.

Hattie pointed a bony, pale finger up to the moon. "_He_ stole your brother."

She stared. Then she burst out laughing. "That's ridiculous!"

"Is it?" Quicker than a bolt of lightning, Hattie snatched Pippa's wrist in an unexpectedly tight grip.

"Hey! What're you-"

Suddenly, flashes popped up in Pippa's head. She saw Jack, and she saw once more how he died. She saw herself running back to the village to get help. She saw three men, one being her own father, search the pond with large sticks to find Jack's body. She saw them all leave, empty-handed and mournful. She saw her mother break down in tears in her father's arms. All of these things she had seen before.

Then she saw things she hadn't seen.

In the night, under the full moon, the ice on Melody Pond began to crack and shift as Jack rose from underneath. He was different. He had hair as white as snow, when it was once a deep, rich brown, like dark chocolate. His eyes were blue, not brown. But he was definitely Jack, and he held in his hand the same stick he had used to push her to safety when the ice was cracking. He floated in the air, breathing heavily, basking in the pale moonlight. An instant thought occurred to her at that moment: the moon really _had_ taken her brother.

Pippa blinked away the last of the blinding flashes. She turned cautiously to the old woman. "Where is he now?" she whispered, for she felt that to speak any louder would result with her bursting into tears.

"If I knew that, I would've told you by now," Hattie said. She pulled an ancient, yellowing scroll and a quill out of her cloak pocket. She unrolled the scroll to reveal neat, fancy writing. "This, sweetie, is a contract," she told her. "If you sign on this dotted line, you will find your brother. By signing it, you will have the ability to see every invisible thing, and to track down anything. It will help you find him."

Pippa looked at her suspiciously. "How do I know you aren't just tricking me?"

"Because, for one, you have nothing to lose. You can drown yourself if you want, but if you sign this, you have to promise that you'll wait a year before you do. Besides, the moon stole someone I loved too. I want to stop it from taking any more innocent lives. Why would I lie to you?"

Pippa pursed her lips, as she always did when she was deep in thought. Then she took the quill before she could change her mind, and signed on the dotted line.


	2. the Army

******300 years later...**

Pippa lay on her back at the top of the hill, her head resting on her hands. She stared up at the endless night sky, watching the stars twinkle and shine. The moon sat high up in the dark abyss, seemingly taunting her, and she glared back at it spitefully. "I used to love your pale glow," she spat softly. "Now I feel nothing but disgust."

Hattie's voice startled her. "As you should feel. The moon is merciless, shameless, and cruel."

Pippa scrambled to her feet. "I-I'm sorry, Mistress, I-"

The old woman waved her hand dismissively. "Don't be. You have every right to despise the moon." She gave one of her rare smiles. "Come, child. The gathering has need of you."

Pippa nodded and followed Hattie down the hill. At the bottom, navy blue tents clustered the valley floor. In front of them stood an army of immortal children, some carrying torches to illuminate themselves, others wielding navy blue flags and banners. They wore black and navy uniforms, and they cheered and roared as the two approached.

Pippa raised her hand, and immediately they silenced. "You have trained well," she announced, and Hattie's magic amplified her voice so that they could hear every word. "You have all shown extraordinary courage and commitment. But tonight your skills will be tested like never before! Do not lose your valor, for you will be striking at a Guardian's home tonight! This battle shall be epic!"

The army roared with passion and excitement.

"As you will be challenged, do not lose hope! The downfall of our enemies will be mighty, and we will be victorious! For who can match our strength and willpower?"

The crowds thundering bellows shook the valley floor.

"See how the earth itself trembles beneath our feet? Brothers and sisters, I have but one request! Crush the Guardians, and the moon will be too weak to oppose us! Then, we will surely take back what was stolen from us!"

A tall boy in the front boomed, "Our dreams!"

A young girl screamed, "My sister!"

"Our freedom!" yelled another.

"My family!" shouted a little boy, no older than seven.

"Yes!" cried Pippa. "Now, let us march to the Tooth Fairy's palace!"

As the army of immortal children began to march, a teenage girl shook her head from her hiding place behind a boulder at the back of the crowd. She flicked her wrist, and a giant green vine silently swallowed her, enveloping her before it plunged back into the earth**. **


	3. the Green Maiden

Fear was building up in Ivy's chest. She knew it wouldn't be easy convincing the tooth fairy, but what else could she do but try? She knew all about Hattie's schemes for revenge, and she knew the witch would stop at nothing until her plot saw the light of day. So, Ivy rode on her gigantic vines which tunneled their way to Tooth's palace, praying that the fairy would believe her. At last, Ivy reached the palace outskirts in the mountains. She leaped off her plant and gazed up at the orange sky. It was early morning; she had taken hours to arrive, but Hattie's army would not be far behind. She approached the gates that were invisible to the eyes of non-believers. "Tooth!" she yelled. "I need to talk to you! It's urgent!"Five little fairies swooped down in front of her. One of them she recognized well. Baby Tooth. This fairy squeaked in fairy tongue, "What does the so-called 'Green Maiden' want with Lady Tooth?"

"Please, Baby Tooth! I need to speak with her, and right _now_!"

An unfamiliar fairy with a more purplish hue glared viciously. "In a hurry, aren't we?"

"Listen to me!" Ivy cried out in desperation. "Hattie's army is on its way here! I need to speak with Tooth!"

The little fairies looked shocked and alarmed.

The purple one sneered, "She's lying, so she can get in the palace and ruin it all over again."

Baby Tooth rounded on her, glaring. "Tooth Pick, we have no choice but to let her in. The Green Maiden must speak with Lady Tooth, whether you like it or not."

Tooth Pick scowled, but didn't argue.

* * *

"What're _you_ doing in _my_ palace?"

Ivy huffed with exasperation. "Look, I know you don't trust me, but you have to believe me when I-"

"_Trust_ you?" Tooth was red-faced with fury. "Of course I don't trust you! You betrayed me, and you chased a fantasy that left my palace half in ruins, and caused Gemstone's death."

Ivy cringed at Gemstone's name. "And I'm sorry! I never meant-"

"You never _meant_? Well, too bad, you did it all the same! You can't change the past. If there's one person in this world I mistrust, it's _you_, Ives."

"Will you just listen to me? I just came here to-"

"Well, you can get out now, before I toss you off the balcony."

"SHUT UP!" screamed Ivy, fed up.

Tooth looked bewildered, probably because no one yelled at her like that before.

"Okay, Hattie's on her way, she sent her army to destroy this place! So grab what you need, and get out of here, because if you die, there's no more tooth fairy!" Ivy yelled this out very quickly, in case Tooth interrupted again.

Tooth was shocked. "Hattie's... _coming_?" she whispered.

"I'm pretty sure I just said that."

"But... why? I didn't do anything to her."

"That doesn't matter to her. The moon chose you as a Guardian; therefore, she wants you dead."

"Why attack me first? I mean, if the rumors are correct, she should've been attacking Bunny first; he was closest to her location."

Ivy shook her head, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I'm not sure why she's attacking you first. But you have to flee."

"Flee? No, I'm not going to flee. I'll fight alongside my fairies."

"Are you _insane_?" cried the girl. "Hattie's army has over ten thousand!"

"Ten _thousand_? How is that possible?"

"I don't know for sure. I have a few theories, but my point is, you can't fight off that many immortals with your fairies alone."

Tooth scoffed, "And I assume you've come up with another 'genius' plan."

Ivy's eyes narrowed. "I'm trying to save your life."

Tooth's gaze softened. Finally, she spoke. "Unbelievably, I think I believe you, little sister."

Ivy glanced up, hope twinkling in her green eyes. "Really?"

The tooth fairy sighed. "I'm probably making a huge mistake, but yes, I believe you. Now, what's your plan?"

Ivy smiled.

* * *

**WELL HELLO THERE! Faiika here. **

**Hey, just letting all my readers know that it's been really hard to publish each chapter to fanfiction because I'm kinda new to all this. So, can anyone help me by giving me pointers? That would be AWESOME. **

**Yeah, so, toodledoo and all that!**


	4. the Naiad

Nariya waited for her shape-shifter friend, Sha'Jewl, to show up as she sat under the wooden dock by the island beach. The last time she had seen him, he was telling her that humans, real humans, would be visiting the island for a few weeks. She hadn't been able to speak with him for a while, for his mother was dying and he had to stay with her before she died.  
It was a day where the sun was warm and welcoming, and she wanted desperately to go up to the beach. But if Sah'Jewl was right, and there were humans coming, then she had no choice but to wait until they went back before she could show her pale face to the sunlight. She brushed her golden wavy hair out of her face, and turned to dive back into the water. Just as she was about to leave, footsteps could be heard on the wooden dock from above. Her eyes widened in fear, and she sat as still as possible. A human!  
She looked up through the cracks, and saw a boy. He was wearing a pair of khaki shorts, a blue tee-shirt, and no shoes. He was about her age, with olive skin and curly brown hair. He stood at the edge of the dock, staring out into the distance, as if searching in the woods.  
"Leo!"  
The boy turned his head.  
A girl, a human girl, jogged up to him. She had mouse-brown, shoulder-length, pin-straight hair, and a pair of sunglasses resting on the top of her brow. She wore a pink tank top, black shorts, and lime-green flip-flops. With a pretty smile, she told him, "Lolah says it's time for lunch."  
He looked back out at the sea. "I'll be there in a second. Go on ahead; I'll catch up."  
She put her hands on her hips, staring at the back of his head. Then, with a huff, she jogged back up to the beach house.  
When she was gone, the boy let out a small sigh. Nariya gazed up at his face, wishing she knew just what he was thinking. He sat down, and his legs dangled over the edge, his bare feet skimming the water two feet in front of her. She held her breath, hoping he wouldn't decide to kick his feet.  
Then, after a few minutes, he stood, and walked back up the beach. Cautiously, she peered over the top of the dock, but he didn't look back. Every morning, Nariya visited underneath the dock, hoping to see Leo again, and every time, he came, sitting down to gaze out at the open sea, unaware of her presence. The sky was dark, showing signs of a violent storm that was soon to come. Sah'Jewl appeared on the fourth day, in the shape of a water snake. He slithered up to her, and she almost yelped aloud.  
"Sah'Jewl?" she gasped under her breath, praying that Leo wouldn't hear her.  
The shape-shifter transformed into a fish and dived down into the water, and she followed.  
"Sah'Jewl?" she asked again, a little louder than the first time, for they were safely underwater, out of the range of human ears.  
"I was wondering when you'd recognize me, little naiad," Sah'Jewl replied.  
She laughed. "How long were you waiting?"  
"I was in the shape of an seagull, a minnow, a goldfish, and finally the snake before you realized it was me," he grumbled, put out.  
"Sorry about that," she chuckled.  
"So, I've been watching you stare at that human," he said with a mischievous grin.  
"You saw that?"  
"How could I not, with you making googly eyes every time you look at him?" he teased.  
"Shut up, I do _not _make googly eyes!" She flushed pink.  
"Oh, really? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were in _love _with a human!"  
"Am not!" She looked up at Leo from under the water, and her blush deepened. "I just find him... interesting. You know, cause he's a human."  
"Mmm-hmmm," he said, unconvinced.  
Desperate for a change of the subject, Nariya asked, "So, how's your mother?"  
"She... is not getting better," he replied softly.  
"I'm... sorry."  
He shrugged sadly. "It wasn't your fault."  
Suddenly, his eyes widened.  
"What is it? What's wrong?" Nariya asked with alarm.  
"Shape-shifters can send messages through their thoughts, and I just got one from my brother. He says mother needs me there now. Sorry, I have to go." He turned to swim away.  
"It's fine. See you!" she called after him.  
Nariya returned to the bottom of the dock, but Leo was no longer there. It had begun to rain ferociously, and the wind howled like a wolf. She started to swim back to her home under the sea, but a large boat suddenly sped by her, cutting her off. She bobbed to the surface, hoping no one had seen her.  
BAM!  
The noise startled her, but then the pain erupted. Her shoulder was bleeding, badly. She felt dizzy, and she swam to the nearest thing in her sights: the beach.  
Making sure she was hidden well, she landed by the rocks, where the tide was low and the humans wouldn't go. Her head spinning, she clutched her wounded shoulder. What had hit her? She knew she had to go back to her father, for he was the king of the naiads, and he would have the healers help her. But she couldn't even hold up her own head. She collapsed on the wet sand.  
After what seemed like hours, she heard distant voices. Couldn't her sisters be quieter? She was trying to sleep. But then, why did it hurt so much?  
She woke to full consciousness.  
"Ashley! Call 911!" shouted the voice of a boy.  
"I can't! The storm cut off all electricity! The phones are dead!" Panicked a girl.  
"Fine. Get Lolah!"  
Suddenly, Nariya felt herself being lifted. She moaned in agony. She looked up in the hazel eyes of the human boy, Leo, who carried her up to the beach house. He looked concerned, and she vaguely wondered what he was thinking.  
Then, all went black.


	5. NOTE TO READERS

**Faiika here! ****Hey, so I just wanted all the readers out there who are reading this to know a few things before I continue with the story. **

1) I made that last chapter because Nariya will have a lot to do with this story. I was wondering after I submitted it if ya'll would think it was an accident or something. It's not, although it wouldn't have surprised me if I was told I did that. I'm pretty clumsy.

2) The other thing is, when I made that chapter about Tooth and her little sister Ivy, I kinda wasn't thinking about her plan at all. So that's why I didn't have another chapter ready: I didn't know what Ivy had for a plan. But don't worry, I've got that problem all fixed up!

Thank you for your patience.

**-****Faiika**


	6. the Smoke

The army marched up to the gates of Tooth's Palace, feeling confident that the tooth fairy's walls would be breached by their own numbers. Pippa herself was at the front, in full black armor that fit her snugly and acknowledged her curves. Hattie, however, was not present. She had some business to attend to in the Northeastern region of the USA, which couldn't wait.  
Pippa pulled out her weapon from its sheathe: a long, wicked sword with a single sapphire at the bottom of the blade. Its hilt was wound in thick black leather around a metal base. She called it "Lunae Fata", which meant "moon's fate".  
With an ear-splitting war cry, the army charged. They crashed through the gates without resistance, which surprised them. The army crowded inside, shocked to not find a single wing or flitting noise.  
Then, the smoke erupted.  
Instantly, no one could see anything but themselves. Many began to panic, swishing their weapons around, accidentally killing their comrades, or just fleeing the palace. The smoke had a strange scent that set many crazy.  
Pippa knew exactly what this was. It was the smoke that came from a specific plant seed, a type of seed that was loyal to one person and one person only. She grit her teeth and sat on the ground, where the smoke wasn't as heavy. There she could make out the feet of her soldiers, attacked by tiny fairies with poison-tipped miniature swords. She felt outraged, cheated, and a little guilty. She should've told them about Illusion Smoke, which was what it was called, but then, how could she have known the Green Maiden would attack? Last she heard, the Green Maiden was dead!  
Pippa let out a snarl and climbed back to her feet. Immediately she came face-to-face with none other than the Green Maiden herself.  
"Ivy?" Pippa gasped.  
An excruciating pain exploded from the back of Pippa's head, and she was unconscious before she even hit the floor.


End file.
